The Thrill Of The Grill

Ready or not, Memorial Day marks the official beginning of barbecue season.

So what will be on your grill? Steaks, assuming you’re a red-blooded American - at least according to a recent survey by Sunbeam.

Steak was easily the most popular selection, cited by 45 percent of the people polled, followed by chicken, 25 percent; hamburgers/hot dogs, 17 percent, and seafood, 4 percent. (Of course, with Copper River salmon scheduled to arrive here from Alaska this week, the local percentage should shoot up significantly.)

Among the other findings, 64 percent of men surveyed considered themselves the best griller in the family, compared to 28 percent of women.

And when people were asked what celebrity they would like to invite to a backyard barbecue, Tom Cruise was the favorite among women at 21 percent, while Cindy Crawford took 28 percent of the male vote. But when the genders were combined, Tim Allen of “Home Improvement” was the overall winner, at 18 percent. (Maybe folks figure he can fix burned burgers, too.)

Grate ideas

Hungry for more grilling gossip? “The BackYard BarbeQuer,” a newsletter by two longtime employees of the Barbecue Industry Association, includes recipes, tips on technique, cookbook reviews and information about grilling equipment.

It’s published six times a year, with subscription rates of $24 for one year or $44 for two years. Write to DHM Group Inc., P.O. Box 767, Holmdel, NJ 07733, or call (908) 975-9677.

Fire birds

For all you second-place poultry people, ReaLemon lemon juice is offering a free brochure of barbecued chicken recipes. Send a stamped, self-addressed, business-size envelope to: ReaLemon Grilling Leaflet Offer, Borden Foods Corp., c/o Product Publicity, 180 E. Broad St., Columbus, OH 43215. Allow 4-6 weeks for delivery.

Dressed up

And if you’re in the market for an easy grilling glaze or marinade - or a tasty topping for your side salads - check out two new products from The Coeur d’Alene Dressing Co.

To follow up on last fall’s Russian dressing, Peggy Alderman planned a ginger dressing. She ended up with two: a creamy dressing loaded with fresh ground ginger, and a fruity, tart huckleberry-ginger dressing.

A handful of area restaurants have started serving the dressings. You can buy them at several specialty stores in Spokane and North Idaho; for more information, call (800)687-1462.

, DataTimes